3001 MOST FAMOUS & HISTORIC CONFEDERATE LEECH & RIGDON

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This item SOLD at 2023 May 14 @ 10:06UTC-4 : AST/EDT
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 25,000.00 USD
Estimated at 50,000.00 - 70,000.00 USD

REVOLVER, OVER 100 YEARS OF DOCUMENTED COLLECTION HISTORY, COLONEL HARRY GILMOR 2ND MARYLAND CAVALRY. Cal. 36. S#899. Standard configuration of the Confederate copy of Colt 3rd model dragoon in navy caliber and size, pin-ball loading lever latch, no capping channel in recoil shield made by Leech & Rigdon, Greensboro, Georgia in 1863. 7.5” round barrel, octagonal barrel housing marked “LEECH & RIGDON CSA”. Revolver is in beautiful condition 100% original & matching serial numbers. Cryptic “N” inspection stamped on both sided of trigger guard.
This Leech & Rigdon revolver was purchased direct from Gilmor family about 1900 by pioneer Confederate collector, author, and historian Richard Steuart (1878-1951). He then had commemorative inscription applied “Col Harry Gilmor, 2nd MD Cav CSA” and published this in “Magazine of Antique Firearms, vol. III, No. 1, Dec. 1911”. This was one of only 3 Confederate revolvers displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibit of Great Colt Revolvers in 1942 and pictured and described in “Catalogue of Loan Exhibition of Percussion Colts 1836-1873” published 1942. This revolver has only been in the hands of 3 collectors in past 120 years!
Revolver was cleaned and burnished which was the norm in 1900, perfect in every regard with crisp markings and fine action. Harry Gilmor is famous Confederate commander who penned his memoir while held prisoner at Ft. Warren in 1865. “Four Years in the Saddle” was best seller published by Harper, NY 1866. The revolver is in magnificent condition and the officer who carried it is still remembered today and his birthday still celebrated on Confederate Hill in Baltimore where he is buried. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: binder of research & provenance documents. CONDITION: very good to fine overall, complete & matching, smooth gray iron showing forging flaws, crisp serial numbers and the finest maker stamp you will see, rarely is “L” full struck. Gun was burnished, that is cleaned and polished and lacquered which was popular for fine antique arms circa1900, brass still has most of its lacquer giving a golden hue. Traces of original varnish to grips still observed. Mechanics fine with crisp rifled bore. (01-22808/JS). $50,000-70,000.